**GAINESVILLE, Fla.** — While quarterback DJ Lagway focuses on rehabbing his shoulder and lower body, the Florida Gators’ revamped wide receiver corps is stealing the spotlight this spring—and for good reason. Head coach Billy Napier has wasted no time hyping up the team’s four new playmakers, who are poised to inject explosiveness into an offense looking to replace key departures from last season.
**Meet the New Faces:**The fresh talent includes UCLA transfer **J. Michael Sturdivant** and early enrollees **Vernell Brown III**, **Dallas Wilson**, and **Naeshaun Montgomery**. Sturdivant, a 6-foot-3, 216-pound veteran, brings proven production: 123 career receptions, 1,667 yards, and 13 touchdowns. After a standout 2022 season at Cal (65 catches, 755 yards, 7 TDs), he bulked up in Florida’s offseason program, hitting speeds of 23 mph in sprints. “He’s gained over 15 pounds and keeps getting faster,” said strength coach Tyler Miles. Napier sees him as a deep-threat successor to Elijhah Badger, praising his “big-play potential” and maturity.
**Homegrown Speed:**
Brown, a 5-foot-11 Orlando native and son of Gators legend Vernell Brown Jr., arrives with blazing speed and polish. The former Florida Dairy Farmers Class 4A Player of the Year racked up 1,508 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. “He’s got *speed*—the kind I can’t coach,” said special teams analyst Joe Houston. Teammate Tyreak Sapp added, “He’s got NFL-level instincts. His work ethic and football IQ? Off the charts.”
**The “Mutant” from Tampa:**
Dallas Wilson, a 6-foot-3 former Oregon commit, flipped to Florida to stay closer to home. The ESPN Top 50 recruit dazzled at Tampa Bay Tech (677 yards, 9 TDs) and has already wowed coaches with his athleticism. “He’s a *mutant*,” Miles joked. “Young guys like him make us look like geniuses.”
**Miami’s Hidden Gem:**
Montgomery, a 6-foot-1 Central High standout, adds depth to a room competing with returners like Eugene Wilson III and Kahleil Jackson (recovering from knee surgery). Though raw, his senior-year stats (537 yards, 4 TDs) hint at untapped potential.
**A New Era for Gators’ Offense:**
Napier’s excitement is palpable. “This group is faster, more explosive—the competition here is fierce,” he said, highlighting improved depth compared to his first three seasons. Offensive coordinator Russ Callaway echoed the sentiment: “These young receivers? *Holy cow*. They’re not just talented—they’re obsessed. Always in the facility grinding. That’s how you know they’re special.”
With Lagway’s return on the horizon, Florida’s reloaded receiver room could turn heads far beyond Gainesville this fall.
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